pitching Archives | G2 Communications Inc.-Medical Practice Marketing

Aug 02 2016

Where’s the Problem?

At WriteCulture we teach all kinds of tech PR workshops and seminars to corporate PR staff and PR agency account teams. When we teach the pitching class we run into the same roadblocks across the PR spectrum… too much jargon, wasted email intros with lifeless descriptions of company products, and no hooks to grab the reporter’s attention.

Many PR writers assemble a pitch and then pray for the reporter’s interest. They bank on the allure of their client’s n^th iteration of, say, anti-malware software. This leaves reporters wondering, “Why should I care?”

Why do we pitch this way?

Because we’re here to serve the executives on the corporate side and our clients on the agency side. We want to dazzle the journalist with the app’s new features and hope that makes the grade. Maybe we’re afraid to ask questions because we think we should know the answer. Or we’re shy to ask for what we need because we’re the new kid on the account team and we’re supposed to absorb all the information before we speak up.

Perhaps it’s none of these things.

Rather, perhaps it’s the glaring omission in the pitch – that is, the problem the solution fixes! … the people involved, their pain (and gain). Too often, PR writers describe the company’s side of the equation (the solution) without mentioning the customer’s side (the problem).

Journalists like to write stories about people solving problems in stories of transformation. The most important words in that statement? People, problems. Notice we didn’t say “companies, solutions.” Sure, the company and solution ends up in the final story, but that’s not what hooks journalists or their “readers (aka customers and prospective customers).”

A winning pitch is not a jargon-filled product description. But if you read the average technology pitch you’ll wonder what problem the technology solves. At WriteCulture, we know this because we read countless pitches across many agencies and companies. We know that this misguided omission of “the problem” is commonplace.

The problem might strike you as implicit in the company’s solution. But it must be spelled out, it must be demonstrated. It should strike a visceral cord in the journalist. Showing her the problem clearly shows you understand her audience’s needs and pain, and demonstrates your product’s relevance in the life of the reader.

In the WriteCulture Pitching Workshop we tell team members to put the solution on ice and focus only on the problem. That might sound harsh, or maybe even difficult or off-putting to your client. But we’ve seen the results. It works.

Not only should the problem be front and center, it should start the pitch. Introduce your client at the end. That’s right… if the reporter is sold on the problem, she’ll read further and contact your company.

To get more tips on pitching reporters, sign up for our mailing list. We share our best advice freely.

To explore the possibility of a workshop for your team, contact us at Info@WriteCulture.com.

Apr 25 2016

“My favorite stories are about people, not things”: Q&A With Leslie Mladinich

Leslie Mladinich followed her passion into journalism and built an impressive career across Bay Area newspapers and magazines, from her first assignments at The Montclarion and the Oakland Tribune, to her days covering transportation at the Tri-Valley Herald. In her first job as a journalism undergrad Leslie got embroiled in the Oakland School District’s controversial resolution recognizing Ebonics.

So why did she choose to pivot her career from journalism to marketing? Mladinich is now using her storytelling skills at Rodrigue Molyneaux Estate Winery and Vineyard, as head of marketing. I asked Leslie to discuss the decline of newspapers, the future of journalism, and how to make your pitch about people, not tech.

How do you see changes in journalism over the last 10 years?

On the one hand, it’s great because journalists, publications, and people’s voices are more accessible. On the other hand, long form writing is no longer in demand. The ability to have longevity with one audience for one publication–to build trust with readers and sources–has diminished.

With electronic media, people graze and scan. They may only read the first paragraph before they shut their laptop. As a result, real writing and news gathering skills are less of a priority, and blogs and memoir style pieces have been elevated.

The decline of long-form writing and newspapers has pushed journalists out, and they’ve turned to corporate communications and marketing. Anyone’s voice can be out there now, but news that makes a difference in people’s lives is declining.

What should PR pros keep in mind when pitching reporters?

All my favorite stories are about people, not things. I’m interested in how any story, event, or phenomena changes and challenges people. If a company is trying to tell its story, I want to know about the people involved.

You don’t have to focus only on the consumer. Who are the people who make your product, and why do they make it? What challenges have they faced? If it’s tangible and evokes the senses, it makes good copy.

What do you look for in a good source?

A good source kept me in the loop and wanted to have a partnership with me. They understood my job and what it takes to make readers read the whole piece.

During my stint as a biotech reporter at the East Bay Business Times, I would get press releases stating that a company had gotten funding for a new medical device. But I wanted to talk to the scientists, not the CEO. And scientists who came up with great metaphors would get quoted because they helped me convey the concept behind the device or drug.

It goes back to why I chose journalism: because I love learning about people’s passions and putting it into writing. For a day or a couple of hours you’re in someone’s profession, problem, or passion, and you get to learn about a subject you might not get to otherwise.

Check out our ebook. We interviewed 10 journalists who advise PR professionals on how to build lasting relationships where both parties benefit. Visit www.g2comm.com.

Mar 22 2016

Surviving the Transition: Q&A with Lisa Wrenn, Bay Area News Group Executive Features Editor

The Bay Area News Group (BANG) is a model of digital transformation, whether it’s expanding digital advertising, producing videos, or building responsive mobile sites. And the group’s consolidation of several Bay Area daily papers over the years is a direct response to declining revenues now that the Internet has changed the business model. At the same time BANG is trying to meet readers’ demands for more focused regional news. As Lisa explains, “Our challenge now is how to cover our large circulation area most effectively with our limited resources.”

I sat down with Lisa to learn how the transition from print to digital has affected her role as editor and the nature of local news today.

How has your role as an editor changed in the last 10 years?

My role as a manager is more important than ever. I’m managing change, and I’m required to do more things with fewer people. I have to identify people’s strengths and weaknesses, and fine tune the job to get their best work. My biggest challenge may be keeping up morale for people who haven’t had a raise in years!

Personally, my strongest skill set was working with writers on long narrative stories, but today we’re writing shorter and faster. I miss the luxury of working one-on-one with a writer to make a story even stronger. Still, we care a lot about integrity, so we work hard to get it right and get it first.

How has the transition from paper to digital affected the stories you publish?

The biggest difference is that now we have to drive traffic to our sites, and that drives how we make news decisions. What we think readers should know and what will drive traffic are sometimes in conflict. We like to take on big local issues, and we have a reporter who covers city hall, but even with local news we often are looking for a headline that is search engine friendly.

“Eat, Drink, Play” is one section that happily came about because we had to do something differently. We decided to make our former Food and Travel sections more Northern-California-specific to make it more valuable to regional readership. In print, our Thursday Eye for Mercury News readers and the Entertainment section, and TO Weekend sections also are somewhat zoned and we focus on local arts. At the same time, if people want to Google a pop star we want the search to lead to us, so I have to be on top of pop culture news too.

What is the best way for PR pros to work with BANG reporters?

Take time to get to know what we’re looking for and who to reach out to. I get pitches all the time from people who don’t even know where our paper is located! It’s okay to say, “I’m not sure if you’re the right person” and send me a pitch as long you’re aiming in the right direction. I get tons of business pitches, and if one is good I will forward it to the right reporter or editor.

Email is still the best way to go, and a follow-up phone call doesn’t hurt. I get hundreds of emails a day so I have to triage, but I will listen to a thoughtful call and reply. And another tip: Include a color photo with an event pitch. In Features, at least, we are very art driven and if we get a good image that gives us more options we’ll use it in a best bet capacity.

Photo: Column sig photo for Lisa Wrenn, Executive Features Editor in the Mercury News photo studio in San Jose on Tuesday, Jan.5, 2016. (LiPo Ching/Bay Area News Group)

Feb 09 2016

To Fix the Copy Fix Your Thinking

Lauren Edwards is founder of WriteCulture, a company that coaches PR teams on writing, pitching and interactions with clients. Lauren has trained over 1,000 PR pros, from entry-level staff to SVPs.

I sat down with Lauren to get her perspective on current PR challenges.

Why is poorly written content so prevalent these days?

The bar is lower because there are more publishing platforms run by untrained writers and editors. There’s also the advent of automated writing and outsourced writing. New software lets non-humans assemble and package nuggets of information into simple formats like online slideshows and “Top 10” lists. And ESL speakers are writing first drafts later edited by native speakers.

Some of the new “citizen journalists” have realized that writing is harder and more time-consuming than they expected and are looking for help. We’re at a juncture where more people would like to communicate effectively but don’t have access to the right kind of education.

What advice do you have for PR professionals who want to write better copy?

Take time to think from the audience’s POV, and write about people not products. When you write about people, you put human beings at the start of your sentences and use active verbs. Also, give away the punchline at the beginning to get to the point faster.

Always keep your clients’ long-term business goals in mind. For example, a famous company I worked with had 80% commercial customers, but their long-term goal was to have 80% residential customers. If you were pitching for them, you’d be smart to emphasize a residential angle to further their business goals. If you don’t know their goals, your choices might actually work against them.

Why is there so much jargon in tech industry PR copy?

Unseasoned PR writers may not know their client’s technology or industry, so they use material already crafted by marketing. They move the words around without trying to reach out to an audience. Curiosity and experience eventually make it possible to write in a meaningful way, but some people retain bad habits.

Another reason is that some people come to work wearing a “professional” veneer. When that veneer is on, they don’t write like people; they write like a “company,” in a stiff style.

What can PR agency supervisors do to improve their teams’ writing?

Stop treating the symptom; treat the disease. The problem isn’t grammar and syntax; it’s the thinking behind the writing. People often focus on details like new product features, but there’s a larger story to tell that will improve business outcomes. The writer should look ahead to goals and coming initiatives, and back at important milestones. This puts “news” into context and accomplishes more valuable goals.

Writers need to think critically during the pre-writing phase, and learn who they’re writing for and why. I always say, “Writing is thinking made manifest.” If you can fix the thinking, the writing often fixes itself.

Jan 26 2016

30 x 30 x 3 – the Perfect Pitch Package

In a previous blog post I talked about the email/voicemail duo pitch — how emailing a cold pitch with a voicemail follow-up can trigger a response from a reporter, often within minutes, even if you haven’t schmoozed him first at CES or SxSW.

Since reporters answer their phones less than .0000000001% of the time these days, sending a short, compelling email followed by a crisp, call-to-action voicemail in 30 seconds or less has proven to deliver results.

But what if the reporter answers his phone? Gasp! After the initial shock of hearing a live human, you have 30 seconds to tell him what you said in your voice message, plus three reasons why he should interview the most interesting person at your company.

The conversation might go like this:

Reporter: “Fred Pickleweed” (reporters rarely say, “Hello, this is So and So”) – .5 seconds

You: “This is Paula McHappy with [company X]” – 1 second

Reporter: “What’s up?” – .5 seconds

Now you have 28 seconds to tell Fred why he should care. First, you’ve done your research and you know that Fred covers the clean tech industry and loves batteries.

The problem: Tesla’s new battery for the home is supposed to extend solar power, but it maxes out after microwaving a potato.

1. What’s missing is high-density energy storage.

2. XX company makes a high-density, high-power energy storage device using a simple capacitor – no more toxic lithium batteries. The device can store energy from solar and keep the lights on for just 3 cents per kilowatt-hour – the lowest in the industry.

3. We have a great source for the story (company executive, customer, unbiased expert).

4. Either Fred is underwhelmed or you’ve piqued his interest and he wants to know more. This is where the rule of three comes in. Give Fred three delicious facts about company X’s technology in plain English, give him a metaphor and paint a picture.

If you’ve sold him on the idea, it doesn’t mean you’ve landed an interview for your company yet. Fred might say:

“Sounds interesting, but I’m working on several stories right now, so I won’t get to this for a while. Call me in three weeks.”

Or…

“Send me the email again and I’ll take a look.”

Here’s how you might respond:

“The inventor had an article published in Battery Magazine recently. I’ll send you the link to give you some more background. And I’ll check back with you in February. Thanks for your time.”

Or if you’ve hit the bulls eye with Fred, he might say:

– “Let me talk to the guy who invented this energy storage system.”

Remember the 30 x 30 x 3 rule for the voice-mail follow-up:

“30” – Think hard to find 30 words that enticingly but plainly sum up the problem ( not easy!).
“30” – Practice introducing yourself and saying you sent an email regarding your 30-word rendition of the problem in 30 seconds or less.
“3” – Have three juicy nuggets on paper in front of you to anchor you if the reporter picks up (or to use later if the reporter calls back).